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While many people laud the idea of the Internet of Things, there are just some objects that should remain unconnected to the world in general. Namely, your trash bin...the last thing you want sending you status updates.

"Did you get my friend request?"
(Image courtesy natm.wikia.com.)

Unfortunately, according to treehugger.com, this isn't the case. The new invention GeniCan watches what you toss, and tries to be obnoxiously helpful by creating a list of new groceries from what you've disposed of.

Never mind if it's trash from your friend who eats five packs of Twinkies in a sitting, or if it's food that you tried once and hated, or if you really don't want anyone knowing there's a record of exactly how many cans of Miller High Life you crush every night. The GeniCan wants to help you, and compiling an index of your garbage is what it's literally made for.

Described publicly, in all seriousness, as "the world's first intelligent device for your garbage can," the GeniCan scans the items that you fill it with, alerts you when its full, emails you coupons for more of the stuff that it's aware you're out of, and even holds the possibility of partnering with grocery delivery services to inform on and subsequently automate a creepy amount of your life.

The GeniCan is currently being crowdfunded, seeking $20,000 for its trash tabulations. However, the $119 early-bird investor deal still seems a lot to pay for a techie trashcan (hey, that's a lot more High Life.) Maybe, even though it's the future, what happens in the trash bag should stay in the trash bag, at least until it's chucked into a landfill or incinerated or whatever magical black hole (or expanse of the ocean) trash ends up in now.

What's next, a dietary plan formulated by a garbage bin, based from your terrible nutrition choices? For now, analog disposal seems just fine for the future.

Sure, it might save you shopping time, but it's doing nothing about the real problem.
(Image courtesy archive.onearth.org.)